Kerf-cutting machine



July 6, 1943.

w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 6, 1943. w w, SLOANE 2,323,493

KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 %Y70072, G a 6' y 6, 4 w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

KERF- CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. W. SLOANE KERF-CUT'IING MACHINE July 6, 1943,

17 Sheets-Sheet 5 riled Dec. 9, 1940 y 1943- w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

KERF- CUTT ING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 y 1943- w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

- I KERF-CUTTiNG MACHINE FigLed Dec.- 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 y 6, 1943- w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 l7 Sheets-Sheet 8 W. W. SLOANE KERF-GUTTING MACHINE July 6, 1943.

Filed Dec. 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 July 6, 1943. w. w. SLOANE KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 1'! Sheets-Sheet 11 y 6, I w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

KERF-CUTTING MACHINE July 6, 1943. w. w. sLoAN KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 V!IIIIIIIIIIIII///77//////A im-lg lmii IN I- 17 Sheets-Sheet l4 July 6, 1943. w. w. SLOANE KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 17 Sheets-Sheet l6 July 6, 1943.' w. w. SLOANE 2,323,493

' KEEP-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1940 l7 Sheets-Sheet 17 Patented July 6,

KERF-CUTTING MACHINE William Vs-Sloane, Chicago. 111., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago,

111., acorporation of Illinois Application December 9, 1940, Serial No. 369,194

41 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in kerf-cutting machines especially adapted for'use 'inrconiinoti spaces such as coal mines, and more particularly to machines of the universal type in which a chain-carrying cutter bar is supported for adjustment in a wide variety and range of angular positions relative 'to the machine'base, so as to be capable ,of cutting in a. plurality of horizontal planes between" the floor and roof of the mine, or of making shearing cuts in a plurality of vertical or inclined planes at the front or sides of the machine.

Among the principal objects of the present invention are to provide a machine of compact design affording quick and efficient adjustment of the cutter bar by power in its numerous cutting positions, to provide, improved feeding and transporting mechanism to facilitate rapid movement of the machine both in transportation and during" cutting operations. and to assure greater ease and safety in manipulation and contro1 of the machine in all of its various funcetions. l i

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulic system for eflecting and controlling the principal. adjusting movements of the cutter bar supporting means, and for propelling the machine truck itself during certain feeding operations, by fluid pressure means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved swiveling connection for the several hydraulic conduits leading from the main frame to certain hydraulic motor devices mounted on aturntable at the front end of the main frame, and to provide other improved swiveling connections for certain hydraulic conduits leading' tohydraulic motor devices on a rotatableportion of the cutter bar support.

Other objectsof the invention will appear from timeto time as the following description proceeds.

The invention may the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention, but with a part of the cutter bar broken'away;

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section drawn to a larger scale than the preceding figures, showing details of the base frame, turntable mount ng, and tiltingframe;

taken generally on line 8-8 of Figure 5;

best be understood by reference to the embodiment thereof illustrated in -n -|1 of Figure 15; g Figure 18 is a detail section taken on" line Figure 7 is a longitudinal detail section takengenerally on line 'I--] of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a transverse detail generally on line 8-8 of'Fi gure 5;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view section taken showing details of the drive connections from theghydraulic motor for rotating the turntable;

Figure 10 is a section taken'on line l0l0 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the tilting frame, with its cover plate removed, and parts broken away to show certain details;

Figure 12 is an enlarged detai1 section taken on line l2--i2 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a detail section taken on line "-43 of Figure 12; I Figure 14 is a detail section taken on line llof Figure 11;

15 is an enlarged horizontal section taken generally along the axis of rotation of the extensionarm relative to the tilting frame, and showing details of the drive shafts and hydraulic control ducts which extend coaxially through the extension arm;

Figure 16 is a section Figure 15;

Figure 1'! is a detailsection taken on line l8| 8 of Figure 15,

Figure 19 is an enlarged plan view showing details of the cutter head and the'extension arm, with certain parts shown in section;

Figure 20 is an enlarged view in horizontal section showing details of the drive gearing at the junction of the extension arm and the cutten head? ..Figure 21 is alongitudinal section taken on line 2l-'2l of Figure 19;

Figure 22 is a transverse section taken on "line 22-22 of Figure 19;

Figure 23 is a fragmentary detail of the idler gear and its mounting,=taken on line 23-23 of Figure 19; I Figure 24 is a detail side view of the extension arm, showing the mounting of one of the bar leveling cylinders with the cover plate of said mounting removed;

Figure 25 is a horizontal detail section of the transmission casing providing dual-powered drive to' the track wheels;

Figure 26 is a vertical section of the transmission cgsing taken generally on line 26-26 of Figure 2 1 Figure 27 is a vertical section of the transmission casing, taken on line 21-21 of Figure '25;

Figure 28 is a transverse section taken generally on line 28- -28 of Figure 25;

Figure 29 is a plan viemof a part of tlfi transmission casing with the cover removed to show Figure 30 is a fragmentary plan view of the dual power transmission casing and the drive connections to the winding drum at the rear of the machine;

Figure 31 is an enlarged detail view of the winding drum and the interlocking mechanism between the drive clutch and the transmission control handle;

Figure 32 is an enlarged end view of the hydraulic pumps and their driving connections with the electric motor;

Figure 33 is a detail side view of the driving I connections shown in Figure 32, with parts broken away to show details of the drive gearing;

Figure 34 is a diagram showing the hydraulic system for effecting drive and control of the several hydraulically driven motive devices on the machine.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, a general understanding of the machine may best be obtained by pointing out, in a preliminary way, the main structural elements of the machine, and their principal cooperative relations.

A base frame I is supported by front and rear track wheels 2, 2 and 3, 3 on axles 4 and 6, respectively, joumaled as usual in journal boxes 6, 6 and l, 1,

A turntable 8 is mounted on the front end of the main frame I, generally above the supporting wheels 2 and 3. Said turntable includes an annular base 9 having a pair of upwardly and rearwardly extending trunnions l0, III at opposite sides thereof.

A tilting frame II has a pair of rearwardly extending arms I2, l2 pivotally connected to the trunnions l0, l0. Said tilting frame is disposed generally in a horizontal plane above the tumtable and forwardly of said trunnions, and is arranged to be swung upwardly or downwardly relative to the latter by a pair of upright hydraulic cylinder jacks I3, I 3 carried on the turntable, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The tilting frame has an electric motor I at its rear end between the rearwardly extending arms l2, l2, which motor provides power for driving the cutting mechanism.

An extension arm I is rotatably mounted at the front end of the tilting frame ll. As indicated in Figure 3, said arm is: rotatable on a longitudinal axis disposed at a slightly depressed angle to the general plane of said tilting frame. The arm I5 is rotated by hydraulic power, as will presently appear.

A cutter head It is trunnioned for tilting movement on a transverse axis in a yoke IT at the,

front end of the'extension arm. Tilting of the cutter head relative to the extension arm is controlled by a pair of hydraulic cylinder devices l3. l8 mounted at opposite sides of said extension arm.

The cutter bar I 9 having the usual cutter chain 20 driven by sprocket 2| is pivotally mounted in the cutter head IS on an axis perpendicular to the transverse axis about which said head tilts relative to the extension arm l5. The cutter chain sprocket 2| is concentric with the pivotal axis of the cutter bar.

The driving connections to the cutter chain sprocket 2| from the motor H on tilting frame II are such as to permit the cutter chain to be driven in any permissible positions of adjustment of the cutter bar. As will presently appear, other 7 driving connections are also provided for swing- 2,828,498 Q the dual power interlocking mechanism therein:

ing the cutter bar by power relative to the cutter head.

The rear end of the main frame consists of a platform-like extension 22 on which is mounted an electric motor 23 for driving a plurality of hydraulic pumps 24, 25, 28 and 21, and also for propeliing the truck through mechanism to be later described in detail.

From the above general description of the main structural elements of the machine it will now be understood that the cutter bar l9 can be fed into the coal by holding the machine stationary on the mine track and swinging the cutter bar in any one of the many cutting planes into which it is capable of adjustment, with its edge presented to the coal face. The cutter bar can also be fed into the coal by moving the-machine bodily along the mine track with said bar adjusted in one of its numerous cutting positions.

The several cutter bar adjustments may be effected by movement about any one of the several axial centers hereinabove set forth, or by various combinations of such axial movements. For instance, swinging the turntable 8 about its vertical axis with the cutter bar held rigidly in extended position at the end of its supporting means will produce a long sweeping horizontal cut about the tumta'ble axis. By holding the turntable stationary and swinging the cutter bar about its axis on the cutter head, a more limited horizontal arcuate out about the latter axis will be produced. By tilting the frame II, the cutter bar can be moved into a wide variety of horizontal cutting positions, and complete rotation of the extension arm 15 to inverted position permits the cutter bar to be positioned in any horizontal cutting plane between the floor and roof of an ordinary mine room. Vertical shearing cuts or cuts at intermediate inclined angles relative to the floor may be effected by partial rotation of the extension arm l5'on the tilting said base frame below said turntable and rearwardly thereof is in the form of a generally hollow circular casting. Said turntable has two longitudinally extending partitions 32, 32 depending into the base frame, and spaced apart so as to provide a passage therebetween for certain of the hydraulic pipes or conduits, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The hydraulic cylinder jacks l3, l3 which effect the elevation of tilting frame II are disposed at the outer sides of partitions 32, 32. Said cylinders have pistons 33, 33 therein, with piston rods 34, 34 pivotally connected at their upper ends to the tilting frame H, as shown in Figure 6. In the form shown, the cylinder jacks l3, l3 are each supported on the turntable base 9 by trunnions 35, 3511 having bearing in brackets 36, 36a, respectively, mounted on the adjacent partition 32 and the side flange 30 of saidturnta-ble. Each pair of trunnions 35, 35a is integral with a sleeve 31 which loosely surrounds one of the cylinders I3. As shown in Figure 6, the upper and lower bearing surfaces of the sleeve 31 are concave and convex, being formed on arcs of radii A-B and A-C, respectively, having a lateral tilting movements of the'tilting frame relative to the turntable.

The turntable 8 is rotated by a hydraulic motor 39 herein shown as mounted on a gear casing 40 at one side ofthe main frame I. Said motor is connected by a horizontal shaft M and worm 42 to worm gear 43 on shaft 44 at right angles thereto. The last named shaft has a worm 45 meshed with worm gear 48 on upright shaft 41. A pinion 48 on said upright shaft meshes with gear 49 on another upright shaft 50. All of the shafts just mentioned have suitable bearing in the casing". The last named shaft 50 extends downwardly through the bottom wall of said casing and has a pinion St at its lower end meshing witha reach gear 52 journaled on the main frame. Said reach gear meshes with the toothed portion 53 of the turntable 8 which extends around the rear and sidesof the latter, so as to permit the turntable to turn through an arc of approximately 270. The hydraulic motor 39" is of the reversible type so that the turntable can be driven in'either direction. One or more of the worms and worm gear connections described are of the self-locking type so the turntable will remain stationary in any position to which it has been turned.

The extension arm I is mounted for rotation on a generally longitudinal axis at the front end of the tilting frame iI in the following manner: A hollow bearing support 55 is integral with an end plate 56 rigidly secured to the front wall bi 'of the tilting frame, and extends forwardly within a tubular outer shell 58 of said extension arm, as shown in Figures 3 and 15. Said outer shell 58 has bearing at the front and rear ofthe hollow bearing support 55, on suitable bearing sleeves 59 and 8d.

' It will be observed that the bearingsupport 55 is arranged ata downwardly inclined angle relative to the tilting frame ii, so that the ex-- tension arm I5 rotates on an axis disposed at a slight angle to the general planeof said tilting frame.

The outer shell 58 of the extension arm I5 has a flanged rear portion M with a drive gear 42, formed thereon, which is engaged by a pairof pinions 63, Saxon shafts 64, 54 at opposite sides'thereof (see Figures 11 to 14) Each shaft 64 has a worm gear 65 thereon meshed with a worm 65 on a transverse shaft 61. Each of the latter shafts has a worm gear 68 thereon meshed with a worm G9 on a longitudinal shaft 10. The shafts I0, are driven by hydraulic motors 1|, 1|, which form part of the hydraulic control system, as will hereinafter be more fully described. The motors II, II are of the usual reversible type so as to rotate the extension arm I! in eitherdirection through the gearing just described. g

Referring now to other details of the extension arm I5 and the cutter head I6 supported thereby, it will be seen-that the yoke II at the front end mad extension; arm is preferably formed integral'wlth the outer shell. 58 of the latter. The cutter head I. has two upright hollow trunnion members 12, 12 at opposite sides thereof, each having an outwardly projecting sleeve '13 iournaled in a bearing I4 in the front end of its adjacent yoke arm I'Ia. In the preferred form shown, each of said bearings 14' includes a cap member .140 split in a generally vertical plane and secured to the end of its yoke arm I'Ia, as by bolts 15, It, so as to permit bodily detachment of the cutter head from the end of the extension arm, when desired.

The mechanism for driving the cutter chain from the electric motor I4 on tilting frame II may now be described as follows: Said motor is enclosed in a casing I40. which is suitably attached to the rear end of said tilting frame between the rearwardly extending arms I2, I2

of the latter. The armature shaft 14 of said motor is connected to a stub shaft 11 suitably mounted on anti-friction bearings near the bottom of said tilting frame, as shownin Figure 3. For convenience in assembly, the armature shaft I6 and stub shaft 11 may beocor'mected by a suitable flexible coupling indicated at 18. The stub shaft 11 has a pinion I9 thereon which drives a gear keyed on a tubular drive shaft,

BI. In the preferred form shown, th gear W has a hollow hub 82 supported at both ends by suitable anti-friction bearing members. The tubular drive shaft 8i extends forwardly through the extension arm i3 coaxially with the latter..

(See Figure 15.)

' It will be observed that the drive gearing just described is supported in its hearings on axes tilted to correspond with the axis of rotation of the extension arm 55, and that the armature shaft it of the motor id is also tilted at the same angle, as clearly shown in Figure 3.

' The tubular driveshaft at extends forward 1y into a housing 83 connected to the front end of the outer shell 58 of extension arm 95 and has a bevel gear 86 feathered thereon. Said bevel gear meshed with a bevel gear on a stub shaft 8% disposed at right angles thereto.

Bevel gear so has ahub d? mounted in suitable anti-friction bearings ea supported in the front end or the outer shell beyond the end of bearing support 55. The bevel, gear 85 has a hub 89 mounted in anti-friction bearings til mounted in the housing 83. g 1

The stub shaft 88 extends laterally into the adjacent trunnion member l2, concentrically therewith, and the outer end of said stub shaft is mounted in an anti-friction bearing 92 carried in said trunnion member. In the form shown, the last named anti-:friction bearing is held in place by an end plate 93 detachably secured to the outer end of the trunnion member so as to permit ready access to and removal of the bearing 92 and stub shaft 88, when desired;

The stub shaft-86 has a bevel gear 94 adja Said shaft is supported on an upwardly extending bracket 98 formed integrally with the cutter head I6 sothat the reach gear 95 is disposed to one side ofand below the stub shaft 85. Said reach gear is, meshed with a large bevel gear I00 flxed by bolts Ilil to a flange I02 on the upper end 'of the cutter chain sprocket shaft I03. As shown indetailin Figure 23, the reach gear 95 is rotatable on an axis inclined at an intermediate angle to the stub'sha'ft 88 and the sprocket 

